Tuesday, January 12, 2010

After reissuing killer 70s Afro/Psych/Funk From Ofege, SJOB Movement and The Mebusas, NYC's Academy Recordsjoins forces with Frank from Voodoo Funkto release the double LP (CD) compilation, LAGOS DISCO INFERNO. Grittier and rawer than American or European disco, with distinctive African influences, the compilation is a fascinating and FUNKY look at the disco scene of 1970s Lagos, Nigeria. Check the promo video below.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Wax Poeticsjust released its first ever edition dedicated soley to African Music! Serendipitously, it's the first time The Shrine has advertised in the magazine. Yeah, this is a bit of a shameless plug, but we don't care, as Wax Poetics is easily the coolest music magazine going.

In the Tony Allen piece, a mention is made of a song by Chris Ajilo, a Nigerian musician who recorded Highlife in the 40s and 50s. Seems lots of folks took liberties lifting melodies from the older generation of musicians, retro-fit the songs with new lyrics and claimed it as their own, or claimed it was "traditional African music". Sound familiar?

Of course I was curious about the song, so I went looking for it on the internet. I found it on a great blog called World Service. It's on a Highlife compilation called 'Catchy Nigerian Rhythms' from 1956. (There is also a volume 2.) You can download both, awesome stuff! The article says Osibisa lifted the cut, but to me it sounds like Fela's "Water No Get Enemy". You be the judge...